Johnny Sexton was amongst three Ireland players who sat out training at St. George’s Park this morning.

Iain Henderson (back) and Peter O’Mahony (knock) also missed the session at the English FA’s national football centre.

Skills coach Richie Murphy confirmed that Sexton picked up a ‘knock’ to his knee in last Saturday’s win over the Canada but it isn’t said to be serious to rule him out for a considerable amount of time.

“It’s nothing serious. He picked up a bit of a knock during the game and we just felt that it was the right thing to just sit out training today. He's fine and in good spirits,” Murphy said.

“Everyone's in contention for Sunday. He's definitely not been ruled out for any other reason. That team will be announced, obviously, later on in the week and Johnny's in for selection like everyone else.

"Ah, he just got a bit of a knock on the knee during the game and it's nothing major. It's just a case of trying to manage the players and make sure he's ok for the weekend.

“It's not a worrying moment, no. It's very little. It's a very minor knock and there's nothing to be worried about.”

Henderson and O’Mahony are also said to be in the same boat in that their absence was more of a precautionary measure.

“Hendy got a knock on the back, but again nothing major. I actually don't know what Pete's was,” Murphy explained.

“Both of them still can play this weekend, nobody's been ruled out. It was just a case that today is quite a long way away from the game, so it's felt that we give the lads time off today and make sure they're ready towards the weekend.”

In more positive news, Robbie Henshaw is nearing a return to full fitness following the hamstring injury that ruled him out of Ireland’s opening pool game.

Henshaw will be monitored for the resk of the week before a decsion is made on whether or not to play him against Romania on Sunday.

“Whether Robbie will be ready for this week, we’re not quite sure at this moment,” Murphy admitted. “We’re hoping that he will.

“Robbie trained reasonably hard today. He did a lot of running, a lot of passing and again he's in a position where he's returning to full fitness and he's very close.